Unions set Tube strike date

Union leaders today announced a 24-hour Tube strike in the escalating row over safety on London Underground.

The RMT, the largest rail union, is to strike on July 18, after station staff, signallers and many train drivers backed industrial action. London Underground admits the disruption next Thursday will be "widespread".

Other unions, including Aslef, representing most drivers, will not be taking action. This means the system will not be brought to a halt but there will be huge disruption.

The effect of the strike will vary across the different Tube lines, depending on union membership. The Northern and Central lines, which both have strong RMT representation, are expected to be worst hit.

The strike ballot found 2,556 in favour of industrial action with 313 against. LU was quick to point out that under half the 7,800 staff polled bothered to vote but the union will mount picket lines and many more members than those who voted will stay away. The planned strike action was revealed in final editions of last night's Evening Standard.

The dispute is over union claims that LU has not negotiated properly with the RMT over the safety issues involved with the forthcoming proposed partprivatisation of the network.

By law the union cannot take direct action against the public-private partnership (PPP) - which will see thousands of RMT members transferred to the private sector - because it cannot strike against government policy.

The unions, Ken Livingstone and Bob Kiley, the transport commissioner, all say PPP, which will divide the Tube into four main sections, is unsafe.

Hard-Left RMT leader Bob Crow said today: "Our members have every right to protect their own and the public's safety. This overwhelming vote is an indictment of LU's refusal to enter into meaningful consultation with our safety representatives. When lives are at stake there can be no room for compromise."

Mr Crow added: "The experience of the national railways proves that splitting up the Tube network in this way is potentially disastrous."

Tube safety director Mike Strzelecki said: "Only a third of those balloted have actually voted in support of industrial action ... hardly a convincing mandate for strikes.

"Back in May we asked the RMT to outline their specific concerns to us so that we could address them together in a positive way. We have yet to receive their response.

"That offer remains open to the RMT and we would urge them to come and talk to us about their concerns rather than taking action that has only minority support among their members."